Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused external forces of fuelling the leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In an interview with DW Hausa, he claimed the party's rising popularity has made it a target for sabotage, pointing to what he described as unusual privileges enjoyed by factional chairman Nafiu Bala. "How can someone who claimed to be the party chairman suddenly be provided with security, vehicles and a residence? It clearly points to outside influence," Atiku said, adding that Bala moves "almost like a governor." He alleged that certain individuals within the party have been compromised by interests seeking to derail its growth.
Atiku insisted that public support for the ADC remains strong despite the internal turmoil. "So far, people from all states are still joining the party. Nothing has happened to suggest that Nigerians are withdrawing their support," he said. The crisis intensified when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) removed David Mark, National Chairman, and Rauf Argebesola, National Secretary, from its portal following a Court of Appeal ruling. Nafiu Bala, formerly Deputy National Vice Chairman, had challenged Mark's leadership in court, claiming he should have assumed leadership after the previous executive resigned. A Federal High Court granted Bala interim relief in September 2025, which was upheld on appeal in March 2026.
INEC has since stated it will follow only the Court of Appeal's directives amid competing legal claims.
Atiku's focus on Nafiu Bala's security detail and lifestyle distracts from his own failure to unify the ADC under a clear structure. If a deputy chairman can credibly claim top leadership and attract state-level privileges, it suggests the party's internal governance is as weak as its public footprint. This dispute isn't just about court rulings or INEC compliance—it reveals how easily Nigerian opposition parties can fracture when personal ambition meets institutional vacuum. For voters looking for alternatives, the ADC's chaos offers little confidence.
